Enjoy an evening of free opera, with exclusive backstage films, competitions and the best performances relayed live to the big screen. Bring a picnic and share the experience with friends, family, and the tens of thousands of people also watching from across the UK.

Costume PartyAn afternoon of free festival fun for the whole family on Saturday 11 July, with the chance to dress up in the Royal Opera House’s famous costumes, make your own outfits and accessories, meet the opera diva Carmen, watch the Firebird dance, and much more.

Events will take place from 12 noon across the High House Production Park site and will include activities with Kinetika, the High House Artists Studios, and The Backstage Centre. Refreshments will be available all day and there will be prizes awarded for the best selfies taken on the ‘virtual catwalk’ – participants can even gain their own Discover Arts Award. Wacky outfits welcome!

In anticipation of the forthcoming General Election on 7 May, we asked some of the young participants from our two youth choruses – Youth Opera Company and RM19 – which arts initiatives they would put into action if they became the next Prime Minister.

The suggestion that came up repeatedly was ‘more funding for the arts’. The young people also wanted ‘greater opportunities to take part in the arts’ and to ‘promote the idea that arts subjects are equally as important as other subjects in school’.

Here are some of the other innovative ideas the group came up with:

If I were Prime Minister I would…

…create more public platforms for anyone to perform (Autumn, 14)

…allow the freedom to graffiti in certain areas (Bethany, 15)

…provide more opportunities to learn different art forms in school (Noelia, 11)

…give out free paintbrushes and paint (Ellie, 13)

...offer more after-school clubs for singing (Anon)

…create a new subject which combines all of the different art forms (Harry, 12)

…find more local spaces for young people to rehearse in (Sarah-Hayleigh, 13)

…make a law that if someone breaks out in song, everyone within 110 metres must join in with them (Charlie, 14)

...offer more free tickets to theatre, opera and ballet so anyone has the opportunity to go (George, 11)

…allow people to enter the X Factor competition at an earlier age (Alex, 15)

If you were voted Prime Minister at the next General Election, what would you do for the arts?

If you are undecided about who to vote for at the upcoming General Election, you can still watch theCulture Debate on demand and see representatives from five UK political parties debate arts and heritage policy.

This year’s FUSED Festival came to a close at the Backstage Centre in Thurrock with a powerful world premiere of A Little Thing Called Life. Created and performed by RM19 – the Royal Opera House Thurrock Youth Vocal Group – the piece took inspiration from the themes of Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, cleverly mixing singing, chanting, rap music and hip-hop with drumming, guitar playing, clapping and inventive staging. The 70 performers, many of them in their teens, delivered a compelling message about the feelings, desires, hopes and aspirations of young people.

Joshua Ridgway, performer, 14

'It was a great experience. I love performing. I used to do balletand have seen a few operas, but this was completely different from anything I’ve done. It’s good to come out of my shell and do what I love. And this took it to the next level. I was able to mix with so many different people. It was the best experience I’ve ever had.'

Aurora Barrett, performer, 15

'I’ve found lots of people here in Thurrock with the same sort of ambitions and fun personality that I have. I loved singing with them, and we made our own production! It was packed with all of our emotions, all of our feelings. We wanted to express how we felt towards different aspects of society. And although we may born in different communities or have different ethnicities, we are united in this society.'

James Green, performer, 15

'It was a brilliant experience. I performed in the circle, playing the djembe, an African percussion instrument. Being a musician, it’s great to be able to create ideas and get to perform them. It makes you feel happier to be doing that. It’s a lot more inspiring. It’s a great feeling knowing that you’ve written the piece, you’re performing it and you’re the one who is making it brilliant.'

Audrey Stowers, James’ great-aunt

'I’m so, so proud of James. It’s unbelievable what he’s doing. Tonight was lovely, really beautiful. I liked all of it, the music, the singing, the choreography. These programmes [by the Royal Opera House] are very important in our community, because they give the children opportunities and things to do. When I was in school, there was nothing like that around here.'

'It’s been amazing working with all of these young people. Everything on the show tonight was made by them. My job was to get their emotions and feelings out, get them to write the lyrics, to write down little stories. Obviously they were learning about Verdi’s Requiem, so they got to see that, like in opera, it’s all about expression and really deep emotions. It’s been incredible!'

RM19 is free to join and open to anyone aged 11–25 who lives, works or studies in Thurrock. For more details and to find out how you can join, please visit our website. RM19 is generously supported by the Ernest Cook Trust, Julian Metherell, the Lucille Graham Trust, Bernarr Rainbow Trust and Thurrock Borough Council.

RM19, Thurrock’s vocal group for 11 to 25-year-olds, have created a brand new work inspired by themes of the Verdi Requiem. The piece - entitled A Little Thing Called Life - will be performed at the FUSED Festival at High House Production Park on Saturday 5 July.

The group of over 70 young singers led by Artistic Director Dominic Peckham perform a wide variety of music, from classical and operatic repertoire to pop, hip-hop and gospel.

‘Creating art with young people gives them the chance to fully explore their creativity, take daring risks, try new things and know that everybody’s ideas and opinions are as valid as the next person’s. The freedom, support and encouragement that they are given allows their individual personalities and creativities to truly flourish,’ says Nick.

‘In one of the first devising sessions with RM19 we asked them the question “If you had the opportunity to tell the World one thing, what would it be?”. This question sparked conversation about what the group are passionate about and how they might convey this to an audience through words and music.’

Since the first brain-storming sessions at the start of the year, RM19 have composed and rehearsed the music, developed the staging with Jette Parker Young Artist Greg Eldridge, and designed costumes and props with Ruth Paton.

‘I am really enjoying having this team of 70 as my co-designers,’ says Ruth. ‘Watching RM19 rehearsing their new song cycle is like uncovering a colony of ants. The creative power of the group is thrilling, as is the path and course of each individual. For example, when devising staging, the group identified a scene where they felt some sort of body painting would help to express a notion of being a tribe and togetherness. We explored the idea of using hand-prints and different ways of printing onto cloth, as well as live body-painting.’

In addition to creating original music, design and drama, RM19 have planned the stage management behind the production, and developed a social media marketing strategy to document the process of staging the work.

A Little Thing Called Life will be staged at 7.30pm on Saturday 5 July as part of FUSED Festival, a three-day festival of concerts, workshops, exhibitions and activities at the High House Production Park in Thurrock. Tickets are still available.

FUSED Festival, a three-day festival that includes workshops, interactive exhibitions, activities and concerts, comes to Thurrock this summer with a programme that explores the themes central to Verdi's Requiem: remembrance, conflict and loss.

On Saturday 5 July, Jeremy and Jacek will lead a creative and interactive workshop entitled Songs of Life and Death. The workshop, which is suitable for all ages and takes place from 2.30–5pm, will explore the power of the human voice in conflict throughout history. In the evening, Thurrock’s youth vocal group RM19 will perform the world premiere of A Little Thing Called Life. The performance marks the culmination of several months work, during which RM19 has been exploring concepts of remembrance, conflict and loss to create an original piece of music, drama and design.

Tickets for Verdi’s Requiem cost £15 (£12 concession) with Early Bird offers running until 23 May. They can be booked online or via the Royal Opera House Box Office on +44 (0) 207 304 4000. Tickets for the workshop and RM19 performance are available via the Royal Opera House Box Office on +44 (0) 207 304 4000. A combined ticket costs £15 (£10 concession). Early Bird offers are running until the 23 May.

The Royal Opera’s production brings to life the authentic colour and spectacle of Renaissance Mantua – including its darker side – in a thrilling tale of seduction, trickery and revenge.

The live relay is free to attend, and takes place on 17 September at 7.30pm, with pre-performance activities from 5pm. Come early to get a good spot and make the most of the evening.

Thurrock Community Chorus and RM19

Thurrock is home to the Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus, a group that is open to anybody living, working or studying in the area who loves to sing. Younger singers are able to perform with RM19, the area's free vocal group for 11-25 year-olds. Both the Chorus and RM19 hold taster sessions twice a year for those interested in taking part. To find out more, e-mail getinvolved@roh.org.uk or call +44 (0) 1708 891 200.

Tours of the Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop

The ROH's workshop is home to scenic painters, carpenters and metalworkers. Our tours take a behind the scenes look at the artists and craftspeople who create the amazing sets and scenery for The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet Productions and offers an insight into the skills necessary to create world class sets and design.

Dominic Peckham, chorus member of The Royal Opera, conductor, ambassador of choral music and Artistic Director of youth singing group RM19 has been busy. Dominic leads RM19, a singing group for young people aged 11-25 in Thurrock, where the boundaries are banished when it comes to styles of singing. Genres performed range from classical to hip-hop and Dominic ensures the participants have their say when composing and creating material.

With his conducting hat on and baton in hand, Dominic will lead three choral workshops on 'Va, pensiero' in the ROH's Clore Studio this weekend as part of the Deloitte Ignite Festival of Voices. The workshops are for seasoned singers and first timers, who will be introduced to the joys of community singing. The workshops operate on a first-come first-served basis.

]]>http://www.roh.org.uk/news/be-part-of-our-free-festival-of-voices-on-sunday-22-september/feed1Choral music in the spotlight at the Royal Opera Househttp://www.roh.org.uk/news/choral-music-in-the-spotlight-at-the-royal-opera-house
http://www.roh.org.uk/news/choral-music-in-the-spotlight-at-the-royal-opera-house#commentsTue, 20 Aug 2013 14:36:04 +0000Lottie Butlerhttp://www.roh.org.uk/?p=23150

Earlier this summer a three-day celebration of choral music in all its forms took place in Thurrock. The second FUSED Thurrock Music Festival raised the roof in the unusual (and impressive) setting of the Tilbury Cruise Terminal and featured two full days of workshops as well as performances.

April Smith, a member of the Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus attended a workshop about conducting: 'I came away with a much greater respect and understanding of how difficult a task conducting is, as well as material to work on myself.’

Other workshops included vocal techniques for male and female voices; introductions to opera and gospel singing; vocal leadership; and an inspirational beat-boxing demonstration from MC Zani.

Although the festival has passed for this year there are many ways to get involved in choral singing in Thurrock. The Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus, who were one of the groups taking part in FUSED, meet weekly at High House Production Park and are open to new members. They will perform at the Deloitte Ignite Festival of Voices at the Royal Opera House on 22 September, as will the RM19 Youth Singing Group, also based in Thurrock, and led by Dominic Peckham. Throughout the day there will be free workshops and opportunities to sing, both for beginners and experienced singers. Booking is now open for free tickets.

Attendees will be able to take part in workshops including different sessions introducing choral singing, beat-boxing and singing in a gospel choir. Some workshops are available for both children and adults.

All of the workshops cost £3 and the concerts are £8 (concessions £6). Refreshments will be available to purchase throughout the day. On Saturday and Sunday evening, during the concerts, food stalls and a bar will be available.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn a different way to use your voice – or if you’re wondering whether or not joining a choir is right for you – come along to find out more. FUSED will be held in London Cruise Terminal, Ferry Road, Tilbury, RM18 7NG.